Ankommet

I made it.

Good Lord does it take along time to get here from the PNW. I suppose it is relative though when you consider it used to take months and people died in the journey. Perspective.

This post is going to be on the long side. The only main points are 1)I made it here, 2) I have internet, 3) I am fine.

Detaljer:

I left Olympia at noon on the 13th via the Grandparents for seatac and Matthew, funny enough, was flying out an hour before me so we hung out at seatac together until he had to leave for California. No flight delays or anything weird on my end so that was nice. I left seatac at 16.30. The midnight sun over Greenland was nice as always. Between 7 and 8 hours later I was in Keflavik, Iceland landing at 6.45 local time. Coldest weather I noted on the headsup display was -67. The weather in Iceland was incredible which made for great views. Around 8.30 I left Iceland for Norway on a 3 hour flight and landed at Gardermoen at 13.00 local time...the one airport in the world I know best. Total travel time was something like 20 hours. New quick record.

Baggage took awhile but I was probably there only for about an hour and a half or so before catching the train into Oslo (30 min.). 50 minute layover at the central station in Oslo and I was on the next train for Bø (2.5 hours). I even managed to coordinate bladder so I did not have to pay to piss at Oslo S. Once I arrived at Bø train station a student worker was there to meet myself and two other Russians that are my neighbours. She took us to the place I have rented on the edge of town.

The housing situation is pretty decent. I even have a balcony with a door that goes out to it. The room is basic studio with some furniture. I have a private bathroom. The kitchen is just right outside my door, so that is nice. I will get some pictures of that stuff up later. I have to buy hangers so I have clothes everywhere right now.

View from my room/balcony

I am going to have to figure out the bike thing. It is quite the trek from my place to the school taking at least 25 minutes. Last night was 30 minutes. Not sure I can cut it down to much less than 20 by foot. I have to say it is good to be back in Norway, but I do not miss the cost of living. I went to the store last night to find something to eat and ended up with a loaf of bread, 10 slices cheese, leverpostei, and lettuce...that went bad in the fridge because someone turned it into a freezer in the settings. Ugh. This food came to just shy of kr. 100. double ugh. 

 All I have had so far today was getting the internet hooked up. I did that at the school giving me a chance to see the inside. While there I met and saw the group from Kazakhstan. An interesting mix of people. I guess that is what you get in the central Asia/Slavic area.

Part of the walk into town

Just part of town

Natural "area" I walk through on the other side of town. Over the bridge I go...

Outskirts of campus..note horses

Edge of campus. These are ski jumps, but seem to be in disrepair. I am going to take a closer look later today.

More to come in the coming days. I am still poking around town and stuff. There is another person I know from PLU coming in today. The weather has been as shown in the pictures, but apparently I just missed the torrential pouring in Oslo. We are currently in the 60s. Email me for my physical address if you want/need it. My phone is the same number, just make sure you dial +1 first, text functions like normal, just know that my response may be more limited than in the U.S. I am 9 hours ahead of WA.